The Nature of Creative Development

Book excerpt: The Nature of Creative Development presents a new understanding of the basis of creativity. Describing patterns of development seen in creative individuals, the author shows how creativity grows out of distinctive interests that often form years before one makes his/her main conributions. The book is filled with case studies that analyze creative developments across a wide range of fields. The individuals examined range from Virginia Woolf and Albert Einstein to Thomas Edison and Ray Kroc. The text also considers contemporary creatives interviewed by the author. Feinstein provides a useful framework for those engaged in creative work or in managing such individuals. This text will help the reader understand the nature of creativity, including the difficulties that one may encounter in working creatively and ways to overcome them.